Douglas County board member Mike Boyle said a tax increase is imminent. But the bottom line on your property tax bill is still in question.

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The county must find $4 million to trim from its budget or it will have to raise the tax levy.

On Tuesday, the board started combing through proposed, individual expenditures.

In some cases, the board signed off on spending reductions. In others, the board chose to maintain spending.

The decisions made are nonbinding, but they set a course for the budget debate in the weeks ahead.

"Blame me for a tax increase again already, fine," said board member Clare Duda. "There's a reason why we're taking these items one at a time. And the idea that 'Oh gosh, if you don't go along with everything, you're raising taxes.' Well, let's take each item one at a time."

"Once you start down the path, you can make nice statements that, 'Hey, we cut that,'" said board member P.J. Morgan. "But in the final analysis, we're a million eight short or two million six short, and there's your increase."

"We need to compromise on these things, and that will drive down what increase is imminent," said Boyle.

The proposed Douglas County budget increases spending in various departments.

In many instances, the county board is looking at reducing the rate of the increase.